Touched By An Angel
by Kylie2060
Summary: UD 10.24 with Chapter Six. Everyone has gathered for the Tree Hill ten year reunion. How have things changed? How haven't they?
1. Chapter 1

_**Prologue**_

_It wasn't supposed to be this way._

I can't keep the thought from escaping my mind, even though she had warned me not to let it happen. She told me that she never blamed me for the way things turned out between us, but somehow I can't help but feel that everything was my fault. There were so many things that I could have done differently and if I were given a second chance, I wouldn't hesitate to act the way I know I should have then. I should have stuck by her, I should have said I love you more often, and most importantly:

I should have saved her.

It shouldn't be me standing here on this cliff, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, letting ashes fly freely into the changing tides below. I would give anything to have her standing here instead, letting me go. She was too young and it shouldn't have been her time yet. There were too many people in this world that loved her, too many peoples whose lives she had changed for the better. Like she had changed me. And then I had thrown it all away the first time she had ever made a mistake in her life. Maybe it had been because I held her at a higher standard compared to everyone else, or maybe because I had finally felt what it was like to be on the receiving end of heartache and mistrust. I will regret the decision I made that one day for the rest of my life.

Again I do my best to push these thoughts out of my head, for her. At least for today. She had told me to make today a positive day. _It's just the circle of life_, she had said. _One life in, one life out. _But how can I think positively when I know that I will never see her breathtaking face again, never truly right the wrongs that I have done? And really the only positive thought in my mind was that I met her in the first place, but maybe that was the worst thing of all.

I try to focus on the rolling waves of the water in front of me, to concentrate on anything else but the pain. I've done my best to stick to my promises lately, and that's how I ended up here at this spot. I can still clearly remember the day when she told me how badly she wanted to travel to California, probably because it was only a few short weeks ago.

"_I've always wanted to go to Santa Monica- to stand on a cliff and just dive right into the chilling Pacific Ocean. I can just imagine how it would feel to let the waves overtake me and carry me back to shore. I could just float and not have a care in the world."_

"_I'll take you there, then."_

"_You know we can't do that…"_

"_No, I don't care. I'll drive you there if I have to. Whatever it takes- I'll get you there. I promise."_

And then time had run out and I was forced to do the hardest thing I'd ever done in my whole entire life, say goodbye.

So I knew that I had to bring her here- a cliff overlooking the ocean in Santa Monica- because I had promised her that I would. And in a way as I was letting the ashes go, she was diving into the ocean right along with them.

It had been her dream to travel here, and that is why I thought it perfect to be the last place she visited. The place where she was finally put to rest; rest which she deserved, but that I wished wasn't permanent. The past year had been difficult on everyone, but somehow she had kept a smile on her face. She had stayed strong for us all- only showing her true feelings to me on the nights when we stayed up for hours just talking. When I would hold her fragile, weak body in my arms as the tears finally fell on her delicate face. We would talk about everything; what had happened in our lives the years when we were apart, how afraid she was that everyday could be her last, and how badly we wished that we could take back the past.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and I turn to see my brother standing behind me. I fall into his arms, leaning on him for support in more ways than one. Our family and friends stand further away, not exactly sure what to say to me or how to act. We're all dealing with the same thing, letting her go, but for a few of us it is harder than others. She had been our best friend, our morals, and our life support. I don't know how I'll be able to get through the rest of my life- no one will ever touch my heart in quite the same way.

I break away from my brother and turn back towards the ocean. I give up on trying to hold the tears back as they are now continuously falling down my cheeks, a constant reminder that life hurts unbearably sometimes. I know that it's time to leave, that there's nothing left to do here now that I've let her go. Everyone is waiting for me, to make sure that I'll be okay. My chest is constricting and I feel like I can't breathe, but I'll act like I'm okay so that they'll leave me alone; at least for tonight.

"How am I going to do this without you?" I whisper out towards the water. "I'm already falling apart. You're stronger than me and I would give anything in the world to have you standing here instead." I choke back a sob and my brother's hand is back on my shoulder. I feel a moment of strength pass over me and I use it to softly whisper my parting words. "I love you and I'm never going to forget your face."

One last deep breath, "You were the best thing that happened to me, Haley James."

* * *

Okay guys, I really just want to know what you think about this chapter.This is just the Prologue- so I promise thefollowing chapters will be a lot different. I really just want your straight out feedback! I'll hopefully update within the week! I don't know if I'm still going to be updating Honestly, unless you guys really want me to, I've just become really attached to this one!

So just give me some reviews bc I really want to know what you thought!

3 Kylie


	2. After So Many Years

Hey All! So I know I didn't put up a summary for chapter one- I really just wanted you guys to get a feeling for the story and it had shocker value and I wanted to know what you thought! I promised the rest of the story wouldn't be exactly like that so here it is and most importantly what you need to know before reading:

- This part starts out with everyone attending the Tree Hill High ten year reunion.

- After Haley left in "The Hero Dies In This One" she basically never returned because of how Nathan told her if she left then they were done and she believed him.

- They got an annulement shortly after she left on tour.

Okay, so that's all you need to know for now! The rest will unfold throughout the chapters. I based this fic off of a Stevie Nicks song by the same title and figured I would throw in the lyrics. As for the chapter titles, I used different lines from within the song lyrics. I thought it was just an interesting way to set them up and they each fit well with the chapters! The song will become more important as the story progresses- it kind of was the original inspiration for this story!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it except the plot!

**And when she walked in the room  
After so many years  
He looked up and saw her  
He was standing at the crossroads  
She was moving in slow motion  
Everything was the same  
Except that everything was different**

**In that very moment, everyone was silent  
And everyone was friendly  
For the first time in years  
Everyone was smiling  
Though their pain was apparent  
And the floor was wet and slippery  
With the tracks of their tears**

**And when I see someone standing  
At the side of the stage  
Not standing in the shadows  
I see her face  
Glowing in the darkness  
In her own angel way  
"I have come to make you better  
I have come to take you away."**

**No one slipped and fell  
This time, everyone was steady  
Someone held my arm so that  
I would not fall  
For the fist time, in a long time  
Everyone was ready  
No one said a word  
And that simply said it all**

**And then I see someone standing  
At the side of the stage  
Not standing in the shadows  
I see her face  
Glowing in the darkness  
In her own angel way  
"I have come to make you better  
I have come... to take you away."  
I'll make you better**

**Walking through the room together  
In suspended animation  
No one saw us go, no one said goodbye  
But in my heart I leave  
Great expectations  
That you will find the answers  
To your questions  
And that life will once more  
Be a celebration  
And that you will be touched by an angel  
And that you will be touched by an angel  
And that you will be touched by an angel**

**Celebration  
Someday  
Someday, someday  
Celebration**

-"Touched By An Angel" by Stevie Nicks

**Chapter Two- After So Many Years**

_One Year Earlier_

"And in entertainment news: pop singer Haley James passed out on stage last night during the last performance of her current tour. Her manager blamed the black out on too much stress and has ordered the singer to take it easy for the next week. You know, she did look very tired during that concert and I hope that she is doing well now…"

Nathan Scott reached for the remote and turned the TV off before he could listen to anything else. It had been years since he had seen Haley James and even though he liked to know what was going on in her life, sometimes it was just too hard. He did hope that she was okay, though. But he also knew from first hand experience that her career came before anything else in her life, apparently even her own health.

"Luke," he yelled into the next room over, "do you actually think she'll be there tonight?"

"Who?" Lucas Scott asked, walking into the room and throwing a beer into Nathan's hands.

"Who do you think, man?" Nathan asked back, opening the cold beer and taking a refreshing sip. The two of them were back in their hometown of Tree Hill for their high school's reunion; of course it wasn't anything like the old Tree Hill. In the past ten years it had been covered in real estate, shopping malls, and new hotels. Not that Nathan was complaining about that, because he was staying in a rather nice one at the moment. He really hadn't wanted to come back in the first place, but he didn't have a game this weekend and his manager/best friend/brother had insisted.

"Well, Brooke said that she was planning on making an appearance."

"Making an appearance? Well, isn't that nice of her," Nathan scoffed.

"Nate, Haley's 'making an appearance' just like you are. It's what you famous people like to do." Lucas laughed, taking a seat next to Nathan on the couch.

Nathan Scott had become a household name just as Haley James had. Since he had graduated college six years ago he had been playing professionally for the Miami Heat. Lucas' shoulder never completely healed and considering the fact that he didn't really want to play after college anyway, he had become Nathan's manager.

"Well, then I guess tonight will be interesting."

"Please don't tell me that you're going to try and avoid her all night like that one time in New York. You two need to act like adults. I mean, aren't you looking forward to seeing her? I know I am- I haven't had a conversation with Haley face to face in years and I'm pretty excited about it actually. I thought you would be the same way."

"I am, it's just talking to her has always been hard. I mean, that's why we stopped calling each other. Talking on the phone just wasn't what I wanted. If I can't have all of her, then it's just not enough."

"Nate, that's not fair to Haley because you know that she would never have all of you. You're on the road all the time traveling to games just like she's traveling to concerts. You both lead a pretty similar life." Lucas had always been in the middle of Nathan and Haley so he did his best to make Nathan see both sides of the issue. Haley was also his oldest friend and he didn't see it right to blame her for everything, after all it was Nathan who had shut her out completely. But then again he also knew that Nathan still loved Haley very much, otherwise they wouldn't still be talking about her daily 11 years after their annulment.

"You know, Luke, I just want to get this over with." Nathan stood up and tossed his empty can in the trash. "I just want to go get ready for this stupid reunion so that I can see my beautiful ex-wife, kick myself for being a stupid idiot, and get on with my life."

Lucas watched Nathan storm off to his room and laughed to himself. "At least he's right about something- tonight's definitely going to be interesting."

* * *

Haley James looked at the outfit set in front of her and shook her head. It was times like these that made her rethink choosing one of her best friends, Brooke Davis, to be her personal stylist. The dress was a silky chiffon number that draped low in the front and didn't start until the very small of her lower back. It was paired with 3 in. stiletto heels which perfectly matched the dress in one word: slut. 

There were footsteps behind her and she turned to see her other best friend and manager, Peyton Sawyer, walking towards her. "So, is Brooke trying to convey the message that I'm easy with my outfit tonight?" Haley asked her.

Peyton flopped down on her bed and nodded her head. "Someone has to try to get you laid and that's why you have to two of us. Now, I think that outfit is very sexy and will make a certain someone very jealous tonight."

Haley threw herself onto the bed next to Peyton. "He probably won't even come, I'm sure he has a game this weekend. And anyway, it would be awkward seeing him tonight. We haven't talked since New York, if that was even considered talking, and that was years ago. Besides, he probably doesn't even think about me anymore."

"Okay, first of all, Hales, you never just conveniently forget about your first love- I mean, I hear you ask Lucas about him practically every time you talk to him. Second of all, Brooke talked to Lucas this morning and they are definitely coming. There's no game this weekend and you know Lucas won't miss out on an opportunity to get into Brooke's pants."

"Make that my dress," Brooke said as she walked into the room and joined them on the bed. "Damn, Hales, why do you always get the comfiest beds in the hotel rooms? Can I use it later tonight?"

Haley laughed at the joke, but hit Brooke on the arm anyway. "So can we talk about this outfit?"

"No can do, Hales, that's the only outfit I brought besides jeans. And we can't have you wearing jeans to the reunion, now can we?"

Haley groaned and placed both of her hands on her forehead. She took a deep breath to relax herself before removing her hands. "So is Jenny staying with Jake's parents this weekend?" she asked Peyton, trying to changed the subject.

"Yeah, she's actually really excited about it." Ever since Jake had returned from Savannah, he and Peyton had been inseparable. Eight years ago they had finally tied the knot, and Peyton had adopted Jenny shortly after that. Jake had become Haley's opening act, and even though he had offers to tour on his own, he refused to leave Haley's tours. They had all become a sort of traveling family and wanted it to stay that way. It never bothered Jake that he was only an opening act, he never wanted anything more. "He's actually probably wondering where I am, so I'm going to go back to my room. I'll be back in an hour and a half to pick you two hos up and you better be ready." Peyton kissed each of them on the cheek before leaving the room.

"Alright, Haley James," Brooke said as she patted her on the leg, "time to make you look undeniably sexy."

"Fine, let's just get this over with!" This was going to be one interesting night, she thought, as Brooke dragged her by the hand into the bathroom.

* * *

Thanks so much for reading. Plz review if you can- it honestly means the world to me! Thank you so much to everyone who sent me reviews for the last chapter- you guys had such sweet things to say and it really made me smile! You guys rock! 


	3. He Looked Up and Saw Her

**Chapter 3- He Looked Up and Saw Her**

The limo stopped in front of the hotel and suddenly Haley felt sick. "Guys, I don't think that I can do this, I think I'm going to be sick."

"Hales, you're going to be fine." Peyton reassured her.

"Easy for you to say; you're not going to be seeing your ex-husband tonight."

"Thank god for that," Jake said, stealing a quick kiss from Peyton.

"Tutor Girl: you can't think, you just have to do." With that said, Brooke reached across Haley to open the door and proceeded to push Haley out of the limo.

Haley was immediately met by the flashes of cameras and she reminded herself to dock that little action from Brooke's next paycheck. It was amazing how in some ways they had never changed. She hoped that the same would be for Nathan- she knew in her heart that he hadn't been himself in New York and she hoped that tonight she would see the caring and sensitive side of him. The side that at first, he had only been willing to show her.

At the entrance to the ballroom, she dismissed her two bodyguards, telling them to stay close enough to act, but far enough away to give her some space. Anyway, she had Jake who would protect her life over his own; something he would do for any of the three women, especially Peyton. Haley walked into the room apprehensively, feeling as though she could bump into Nathan at any moment.

"Relax, just breathe," Jake whispered into her ear, kissing her cheek before getting dragged off to the appetizers by Peyton.

"Come on, Hales, let's go do some damage." Brooke said, taking her by the hand and leading her towards the opposite end of the room.

"Yeah, breathing used to be so simple," Haley quietly said to herself.

* * *

Nathan couldn't stop pacing and he had been here so long he was starting to memorize what food they were offering and its exact location on the table. 

Lucas walked directly into Nathan's path and handed him a bottle of beer. "Here, I thought this would help you calm down."

Nathan took the bottle from his hands and immediately started chugging.

Lucas just laughed. "You know, if you want to be sober when you see her, you should probably slow down. It would make tonight so much better than New York. So have you talked to anyone?"

"Only if you count the numerous girls that came up to me and said, 'sorry it never worked out with Haley, but here's my number if you want to have a good time.' First of all, that is the biggest turn off ever, second of all some of them were married, and third I hate it when women assume I'm a player because I play pro ball. How about you, have you found Brooke yet?"

"No, this place is so huge and she's not answering her phone. But, I'm sure we'll find each other soon. So, no Haley sightings or have you already found her and gone into avoiding mode?"

"Nope, haven't seen her yet. Maybe she's doing the avoiding this time, which I really wouldn't blame her. You know what, I think I'm just going to go get some fresh air. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Do you want me to go with you, Nate?"

"No, just go find Brooke. One of us should at least have a good night."

"You will have a good night," Lucas promised. "You just have to find Haley first."

Nathan shrugged his shoulders, not knowing what to say. He was still unsure how he felt about all this. He knew he wanted to see Haley, he didn't have a doubt in his mind about that, but he had no clue what he was going to say. For starters, apologize about New York, but that's all he had planned out so far. And then it happened.

He felt her before he saw her, and in later years when he looked back on this moment he could truly say it was the most amazing thing he'd ever experienced.

"Nate, you okay man?" Lucas asked Nathan as he slowly turned around toward the middle of the ballroom's dance floor.

He found her instantly; Haley James standing less than 20 feet away from him, surrounded by a group of classmates that apparently loved her music. A few of them were holding cd cases and pictures of her and she was graciously autographing them. Autographs- one thing that Nathan truly hated and avoided at all costs. But she wasn't saying no to anyone and was spending equal time talking to each and every person.

Nathan looked Haley over and was completely breath taken by what he saw. She was wearing a stunning black dress that cut low in the front and the back. It took Nathan by surprise because he had never seen her in anything so revealing or sexy. But that wasn't the only thing that took him by surprise.

Nathan had always been able to read Haley, just as he was sure she could as well, and something definitely wasn't right. She kept a smile on her face, and it wasn't that the smile was fake, there just seemed to be something underneath the smile. It was almost a look of defeat, as if she had been fighting something and had finally given in. And there underneath that was the look of something Nathan had only seen one other time in his life; weakness. Haley James wasn't weak; she was strong willed and never gave into anything. That look set Nathan off balance more than anything else.

Lucas' hand on his shoulder broke him from his daze and he turned towards his brother. "Well, go talk to her, man," Lucas said, giving him a slight nudge.

Nathan shook his head, not knowing if he was ready to talk to her yet. But he didn't get a chance to decide because Brooke, who had been standing right next to Haley, connected eyes with Lucas. She let out a squeal and pushed past Haley, running into Lucas' open arms.

Nathan watched with baited breath as Haley's eyes followed Brooke to Lucas' arms and then cautiously moved onto Nathan, her breath catching in her throat as soon as their eyes connected.

They both instantly felt the mood of the room change; it was almost as if everyone was watching them. It was understandable though, everyone had known their story, and everyone had been there for the tragic end. Nathan could hear tiny gasps and whispers behind him and Brooke and Lucas' giggles beside him, in their own little world.

He never remembered who made the first move, but suddenly they were just a few steps away, as if a greater force had just pulled them together.

Barely able to speak, Nathan was the first to say anything. "Hi," he spoke softly, in a voice just about a whisper.

A single tear fell down her cheek and Nathan knew he could have forgiven everything in that single moment.

"Hi."

* * *

Hey guys- thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! I'm trying to keep the chapters short and sweet cause sometimes I think that's the easiest way to read! I really hope you're enjoying so far, but I don't know w/o reviews so keep em coming! Thanks!

Kylie


	4. Everything Was the Same

**Chapter Four - Everything Was the Same**

After what felt like an eternity, Brooke was the first one to break the silent staring contest Haley and Nathan were having.

"Nathan, how are you?" she asked as she pulled him into her arms.

It took Nathan a few seconds, but he took his eyes off of Haley and responded to Brooke's hug by placing his arms around her as well. "I'm good, Brooke, how about you?"

Lucas sent Haley an understanding smile as he pulled his best friend into his arms. "We've missed you, Hales," he said, kissing her cheek.

Haley hugged Lucas back tightly. "I've missed you guys, too, more than you know."

Lucas pulled back and was surprised to see Haley crying. "Hey, I hope those are happy tears," he said, gently wiping them away with his thumbs.

She laughed. "Don't worry, they are." She looked to her right where Nathan and Brooke were still talking; well Brooke was talking. Nathan was staring at_ her_, concern written all over his face. She opened her mouth to say something to him, but before she could she was interrupted by more of Brooke's squeals.

"Peyton! Jake! Come over here you guys!" she yelled.

Haley stepped back as Peyton hugged Lucas and Jake shook hands with Nathan, and then switched. She used to opportunity to take a good look at Nathan. He looked genuinely happy to see everyone, there was no doubt about that, but there was something beneath the surface that bothered her. He seemed introverted and shy, almost like he was lacking self-confidence. The Nathan she knew was full of confidence, and she expected him to be over-confident now, considering who he was. He looked anything but.

"Oh, you guys look so great. It's so good to see you both," Brooke spoke, cutting through her thoughts.

"You look very good as well," Lucas said, giving her a not so subtle seductive look. "Want to take a walk?" he asked her.

"I thought you would never ask," she took his outstretched hand and followed him out of the room.

"God, could those two be any more obvious?" Peyton asked, not able to control her laughter anymore.

"Leave them alone, Peyt, they're in love," Jake said, trying to defend them.

"Jake, that's not love, it's lust. There's a big difference. Could you compare what they have to what we have?" Peyton asked, feeling a little offended.

"Well, no, but…"

"No butts if you want to have a good night, Jake."

"Wow, the Mrs. is putting her foot down. And this is exactly why I tell people never to get married."

Jake regretted saying it as soon as the words left his mouth. There was an awkward silence, as both Haley and Nathan avoided eye contact, before Peyton finally broke the silence. "Okay, well I could really use a drink, what about you guys?"

Haley nodded, knowing Peyton would know exactly what to get her. Jake nodded at Nathan, "Another beer?"

Nathan nodded. "Yeah, that would be great."

Haley watched as Jake led Peyton to the bar, shooting her a "don't leave me along with him!" look. Peyton mouthed back, "I'm sorry" and shrugged her shoulders. She looked around the room before turning around to Nathan, who still had his eyes on her. She smiled, not really sure what to say to him.

Nathan shrugged his shoulders, obviously as unsure as she was, and Haley couldn't help but laugh. He smiled, it felt good knowing he could still make her laugh after all these years.

Haley was surprised at how fast it happened, but there was no doubt in her mind about it. Just like that, the attraction she had felt for Nathan so many years ago had returned. Well, then again she was never really sure that it had left in the first place. She had never felt for anyone else the way she felt when she even thought about Nathan. She took a deep breath and forced herself to speak. "So, how have you been?"

"Pretty busy, I'm sure you know how it is. You're all over the place just like I am. How about you?" Nathan was so happy that they were both acting like adults. He had been so worried that he was going to make an ass of himself all over again, but now in her presence he felt calm and collected.

"Well, I'm pretty good now that the tour has ended. It was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders."

"I saw you on the news today- they said that you collapsed on stage. Is everything all right?"

Haley couldn't help but feel touched by his obvious concern for her. "Yeah, I'm fine, just under a lot of stress I guess. I'm actually staying in Tree Hill for about a week so that I can rest and reconnect with the stable world- Peyton's orders."

"Well, it should be good for you, I'm sure you could use it. I wish I could stick around for awhile, but Luke and I are booked on a red eye tomorrow to Miami. This next game could potentially be our last and I have to get back to training."

"Well, you guys have had a really good season. The playoffs have been interesting so far."

"You've been watching?"

"I haven't missed a game in six years."

A short silence fell over them as Haley immediately wondered how she had let the words slips from her thoughts and Nathan pondered the complexity of Haley watching all of his games. Haley had never been a fan of sports, she only watched their high school games to see Lucas and him play. Did that mean she still only watched the games just to watch him play? It shocked him slightly and he could see that she was as well at her own admission. At that moment, he had never felt so guilty for pushing Haley out of his life so many years ago.

"I'm glad that you did," Nathan finally spoke.

Haley brought her eyes back to his and flashed her radiant smile yet again. She looked around the ballroom. "I wonder where everyone went," she stated, suddenly wanting to change the subject.

"Do you want to go get the drinks ourselves? It doesn't look like Peyton and Jake are coming back any time soon."

"Yeah, that sounds good." She followed Nathan to the bar and ordered a diet coke, wanting to have a clear head for the rest of the night. He ordered a club soda and she hoped that he had the same thought. They wandered over to an empty table along the side of the room and took a seat.

"Do you want anything to eat? I could go get a few things." Nathan asked her.

"No, I'm okay. I'm not hungry."

"Yeah, I don't think I could eat right now anyway."

Haley shot him a confused look. "Why?"

Nathan stumbled over his words. "Nothing… It's just you… and me… us…and," he cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "It's just really good to see you, Hales."

Haley's heart skipped a beat as he called her by her nickname and she could feel her cheeks blushing. She looked down momentarily before bringing her eyes back up to his. "It's really good to see you too."

She was so surprised by what was happening. She had expected to come tonight to find a despondent Nathan; one that was still hurt and hating her for leaving. One like she had found in New York. But here he was in front of her with a smile on his face. And he seemed happy to see her, just as she was to see him.

Nathan suddenly found himself short of words, but it wasn't an awkward silence that fell over them. They both were thinking about how many things had changed, but then again how so many things had stayed the same. Nathan had planned to keep his distance tonight, to continue being the jaded person he believed himself to be, but his whole plan had been shot to hell the moment he had seen Haley across the room. He could no longer deny the feelings he had for her, and it hurt to think that tomorrow he would leave and everything would go back to the way it had been before. If their relationship didn't work long distance before, it wouldn't work now. So he wanted to say a few things to her before he lost the chance to be honest with her.

"Haley, in New York…" he started.

"Nathan, don't." she cut him off. "We don't need to go there, because it won't change anything. What's done is done."

He opened his mouth to object, but was interrupted by Brooke's body landing in his lap. "You guys are so boring! I mean, we are all out there on the dance floor and you guys are sitting here talking. Get your asses out there, now!"

Haley tried to refuse, but Brooke took them each by the hand and dragged them to where Lucas, Peyton, and Jake were already dancing. The DJ was currently playing hits of 2006 and right now it was "Don't Cha" by the Pussycat Dolls. Haley laughed as she watched her friends dancing and it didn't take her long to join in. Nathan was another story and it wasn't until Brooke pushed him into the middle of their circle and started dancing on him that he finally gave in.

The moment seemed to slowdown as Haley realized that she had left a part of herself behind in Tree Hill and she had never realized it until now. She had always felt it missing, but being here with Nathan and Lucas proved it to her once and for all. She felt like a teenager again, like anything was possible. They had all come so far and had lost parts of themselves along the way, but now that they were together again they were whole.

Suddenly the music changed into the slow version of "Listen to Your Heart" by DHT and Haley didn't know quite how to respond. Brooke and Lucas and Peyton and Jake immediately paired off and Nathan awkwardly stood across from her like it was a sixth grade dance all over again. He extended his hand to her and it didn't take a second thought for her to accept it.

Nathan placed his other hand on the small of Haley's back and the lack of fabric there sent a ripple of excitement through her body. As she rested her head on his chest she couldn't help but feel that it felt right there, even after all these years. She closed her eyes and listened to the words of the song, which suddenly meant so much to her.

"_Listen to your heart, when he's calling for you. Listen to you heart, there's nothing else you can do. I don't know where you're going, and I don't know why. Listen to your heart, before you tell him goodbye." _

Haley suddenly became very aware of the situation, and for a moment it felt very wrong. Did she have the right to do this again – to involve him in her life, especially now? She had tried so hard all these years not to run back to his arms, so why was she falling so easily into them now? Were they both just living in the moment only to change their minds tomorrow? There were just too many questions on her mind.

She stumbled back slightly as she gently pushed out of his arms, tears starting to collect in her eyes and falling softly on her cheeks..

The only words she could say as she ran from his embrace were, "I'm sorry."

* * *

**Hey All! Thanks for all of the fantastic reviews- they really mean so much to me! I've trying to make the installments shorter, bc I know it is easier to read that way, but this one just took ona mind of its own! Thanks again and let me know what you thought!**

**Kylie**


	5. Except That Everything Was Different

**Starting from this chapter on, I'm going to slowly reveal what exactly happened in New York and why it was such a big deal for Nathan and Haley's relationship. I'm going to put these flashbacks in italics just to make it easier to pick out!

* * *

**

**Chapter Five – Except That Everything Was Different**

_Nathan and Lucas were in New York for the weekend for a game against the Knicks. After their much needed win, they decided to hit the town for an even more needed celebration. The ended up in one of the city's swankiest hot-spots, a place frequented by celebrities wanting to stay out of the spotlight for a few hours._

_Lucas ducked into the restroom immediately and he wasn't surprised to see multiple empty shot glasses in front of Nathan upon his return. When Nathan partied, he partied hard. Lucas knew it was an attempt to numb the pain, but he also knew that it never truly worked. "Hey, did you leave anything back there for me?" Lucas joked._

"_Not tonight, Luke." Nathan said sternly, turning away from Lucas and looking out towards the dance floor. _

"_Not tonight, not any night." Lucas mumbled to himself before ordering a beer._

_The club hadn't been too busy at the time and that was how Nathan was clearly able to see her, dancing in the middle of the floor. He had already had way too many shots and was pretty much buzzed so the only thing he could do was turn to Lucas and laugh. "Look who's here, man. I totally forgot her gig was in New York City this weekend."_

_Lucas looked up past Nathan to where Haley and Brooke were on the dance floor, dancing with a few other people. "Well, are you at least going to say hi to her?"_

"_Yeah," Nathan scoffed. "That's exactly what I want to do. Put an end to this excellent night that I'm having."_

"_Nate, I would barely call drinking yourself into a stupor an excellent night." Lucas shook his head, knowing that he wouldn't be able to say anything to get Nathan to go over there. Nathan would have to do it himself. "Whatever, I'm going to go say hi. If you change your mind, I'm sure they would love it if you came over to say hello."_

_Nathan turned back towards the bar and ordered two more shots as Lucas walked away. It had been over six months since he had talked to Haley on the phone, which was around the point in time that they both decided it was just too difficult. He knew it would end bitterly if he talked to her tonight, so why even try? Without even so much as a look backwards, he downed the shots quickly, and walked off in the opposite direction of the dance floor. After all, didn't his mom used to tell him that if he didn't have anything nice to say, he shouldn't say anything at all?_

_

* * *

_

Nathan couldn't just stand there and watch her walk away, ignore the whole situation like he had so long ago. He couldn't just stay quiet and pretend that nothing had happened, not this time, not after how painful that night had been. But as he made a move to follow Haley, Peyton stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"Probably not a good idea. We'll go get her." She grabbed Brooke and pulled her away from Lucas. "It'll be okay, Nate, I promise," she assured him as she walked away.

Nathan wasn't so sure that it would be okay, he didn't see how it could ever be okay. Maybe he really had screwed everything up for good. Haley wasn't even able to stay in his arms for longer than a minute.

"Nate, come on man, let's just go get a drink," Lucas said, trying to steer him in the direction of the bar.

"No, Luke, I don't want a drink. I don't know, maybe I should just leave. It would make this evening a whole lot easier on Haley."

"Trust me, Nate, she doesn't want you to leave." Jake cut in. "Just let Peyt and Brooke calm her down, it won't take them that long."

Nathan nodded and followed them to the bar where he refused to order anything, just watched the door that Haley had ran so fast out of only moments before.

* * *

Haley splashed the cold water on her face gently and reached next to her to graciously accept the towel Peyton was holding out for her.

"Hales, are you going to be okay?" Brooke asked, the concern clearly evident on her face.

Haley stood up and took a deep breath, taking a look at her disheveled appearance in the mirror. "I think so, I just freaked out a little bit. Thanks for following me guys, I don't know what I would do without you two."

"You'd never look good." Brooke quickly answered.

"You'd never have any shows to play at." Peyton added. The three women laughed as Haley turned to face them. "Seriously though, what was that about?" Peyton asked.

"I don't know. Just being in Nathan's arms again and all of these feelings were just flooding back."

"Well, it's only natural, sweetie. I feel the same way every time I see Lucas." Brooke said, offering her support.

"Yeah, but you and Lucas have that whole 'friends with benefit' casual relationship thing going on. I could never see Nathan that way. Coming here tonight really showed me that I've been missing a part of myself, and that part has been with him the whole time. I felt complete in his arms, and it just scared me because I know that he's still angry at me for leaving. And I know that he wasn't feeling the same thing, there was no way he could have."

"How do you know, Hales?" Peyton asked. "Maybe he feels the exact same way. He's had a lot of time to think everything over. Maybe you guys could be able to start over again, especially now that the tour's over."

"Thanks for being an optimist, Peyt, but if it didn't work then- how do I know it'll work now?"

"Because you are both different people now." She stated simply.

"Exactly, we have changed over the years. We're not the same and who's to say that we still have the same things in common. Who's to say that we want the same things in life? Listen, I really just don't want to talk about it anymore. Brooke, could you just go grab me a glass of wine? I need a drink and then I'll be able to go back out there."

Brooke nodded and gave Haley a quick hug. "It'll be okay, Hales."

Haley watched as Brooke left the bathroom and turned back to the mirror, carefully wiping the mascara away from under her eyes as to not mess up the rest of her makeup.

Peyton took a deep breath. "Haley, maybe you should just tell him."

Haley shook her head. "Peyton, I couldn't do it, I wouldn't be able to find the right words. And it wouldn't be fair, he's leaving tomorrow and we're going to go back to not seeing or talking to each other again, which is how it should be. It's easier that way."

"Hales, he would want to know."

"Peyton, we've talked about this. You're the only one who knows and it's staying that way. Just support me on this, okay?"

Peyton nodded and shut up as Brooke came back into the bathroom, carrying three glasses of wine. The three of them clinked their glasses together in a silent cheers and Haley let the liquid slide down her throat and warm her chest. She didn't often drink, truly only at special occasions, but right now she had just really needed some sort of mental support. Even though it was only an artificial one, it helped for the time being.

She took a deep breath. "Okay, I think I can go back out there now. I just don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to stay here, I think this reunion is starting to drive me crazy."

"Well, we both know Brooke's going to be leaving with Lucas soon, but you let me and Jake know when you want to go. We'll leave whenever, okay?" Peyton let her know.

"Hey! Okay even though that's probably the truth, I hate those kinds of assumptions!" Brooke couldn't help but saying.

"Mentally noted," Haley joked and laughed as her best friends pulled her into their arms. "Thanks guys, you really are such good friends."

"We know." Brooke said with a smile.

Haley followed her friends out of the bathroom, silently cursing herself for being afraid to go back to the ballroom. Afraid because for the few moments when she had been in Nathan's arms, she had felt invincible, like nothing could touch her. Which she knew, better than anyone else, wasn't possible to believe such a thing. But he had that power over her, even after all these years.

She wanted to tell him the truth, about so many things, but as she had told Peyton it just wouldn't be the right thing to do. He was living his dream, and even though he had once told her he would always protect her she knew that she didn't want to make him chose. And besides, no one could protect her now, not even him. Especially him.

Haley held her chin high as she walked back into the ballroom, willing herself to just be strong tonight until he walked out of her life again tomorrow. _And then she could go back to living her lie._

_

* * *

_

**Sorry to end it there and get you guys all confused, but I just have to stay in my dramtic realm! I hope you guys enjoyed and as always- I would love to know what you thought!**

**Kylie**


	6. That You Will Find the Answers

**Chapter Six – That You Will Find the Answers**

**Flashback**

_Haley watched from the dance floor as Nathan walked off in the opposite direction of where they were standing. She looked towards Lucas, the hurt apparent in her face. "So is he honestly just going to ignore me all night?" she yelled over the roaring music._

_Lucas shrugged his shoulders, not knowing what to tell her. Nathan played by his own rules these days and the only person he listened to was himself. "Let's go somewhere a little quieter and talk," he yelled back, nodding towards the tables in the back of the club._

_Haley nodded back and followed Lucas and Brooke to a table, taking a seat across from them. "So how's he been?" she asked, getting straight to the point._

_Lucas draped his arm over Brooke's shoulders and laughed. "I'm doing great, Hales, thanks for asking. Business has been good, even though my biggest client's a pain in the ass, I miss my friends most of the time and I've been a little under the weather this week."_

_Haley smiled and reached across the table to take his hand in hers. "I'm sorry, Luke, I'm so happy to see you and I'm glad that you're doing well. I've just never been worried about you. Now Nathan, that's a whole other story. Is he okay?"_

"_He's different, Haley. He parties a lot, drinks a lot, and gets angry a lot."_

_Haley opened her mouth to speak, but Brooke cut her off. "You know, I'm going to need a drink for this serious of a conversation. Anyone else want anything?"_

_Lucas nodded towards his beer and Haley nodded her head, knowing Brooke would know exactly what to get her. Brooke kissed Lucas on the cheek as she headed off towards the bar, causing Haley to raise an eyebrow in Lucas' direction._

"_What?" Lucas asked her. "What's the face for, Hales?"_

_She smiled innocently and shook her head. "Nothing, just the two of you, that's all."_

"_What?" he asked again._

"_I just don't see how you can both do this. Just go your separate ways, but as soon as you're back together again act as thought nothing has happened, as though you've spent no time apart."_

"_It's just the way we decided to go about this, Haley. We love spending time together, but we both know it's not fair to only date each other. We don't see each other often enough to put ourselves through that. Now if we were say, I don't know, married…"_

"_Lucas," Haley took a deep breath, "we're not married anymore and Nathan made his point obvious when I went on tour in the first place."_

"_Haley, Nathan was hurt when you decided to leave."_

"_By the looks of it, he still is. I've really screwed everything up, haven't I, Luke?"_

_Lucas reached for her hands, taking them both in his. "Haley, you went after your dream. You got such a wonderful opportunity and I'm so proud of you for taking that chance. I don't want you to ever regret that. I just wish that the two of you could have both followed your dreams and stayed together at the same time."_

"_So do I, Lucas, every day."_

"_Then try again, Hales. Nathan still loves you and I know that you still love him."_

"_Lucas, it's not that easy. I wish that it were…"_

"_Just go talk to him, Haley. Will you at least do that much for me?" Lucas pleaded with his best friend._

_Haley stalled momentarily, but stood as she saw Brooke returning with the drinks. She took the white wine from her hands and turned towards Lucas. "I'm not making any promises," she told her best friend, turning on her heels and heading off in Nathan's direction. _

"_What was that about?" Brooke asked as she sat down next to him and handed him his beer._

"_Oh nothing, just trying to get Haley to open up her eyes, that's all."_

"_About Nathan?" she asked._

"_Yeah, I guess. They belong together, I just wish they could both stop being so stubborn. Don't they see how similar they are? How is she, Cheery, honestly?"_

_Brooke smiled at his nickname for her, which he had never stopped calling her. "Well, I mean she has her days when it gets hard, but she loves it on stage. But then again it's weird because she gets up there and gives it her all, and it just shows in her face how much she loves it, but when the shows over it just doesn't seem to make her happy. Maybe it's the touring lifestyle that she doesn't like. I don't think she would make it without the three of us there."_

_Lucas glanced in the direction of where Haley had just walked away. He understood what Brooke was saying, because he had seen the unhappiness in her eyes. Haley had always been good at covering things up, but she wasn't able to by a long shot with him. He just knew her too well. _

_It killed him to see her hurting, but he knew that there wasn't anything he could do. It was in Haley and Nathan's hands now._

**End Flashback

* * *

**

Haley followed Brooke and Peyton to where the guys were by the bar, smiling as Lucas walked towards her and took her in his arms. "You okay, buddy?" he asked, his chin resting gently on the top of her head.

She nodded. "Yeah, just became a little too much, ya know?"

"Yeah I get it, you just worried us that's all. Especially Nathan." He pulled back from her, his hands resting gently on her shoulders. "You sure you're okay?" he asked again. Just as Nathan was able to read her, and as he was all those years ago, Lucas could tell that there was something bothering Haley below the surface. Something that she wasn't telling him.

"I'm fine, Luke, I promise." She shook her head and laughed. "You don't have to worry about me, I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, but I can't help it."

Nathan watched as Lucas comforted Haley, wishing that it was him instead. But did he really have the right to have that thought? He had pushed her away so many years ago and who was to say that she had wanted his arms around her still after all these years. No, he had seen it in her eyes. She missed him just as much as he missed her. But did that even matter anymore, were they already too far apart from each other?

Haley and Lucas joined them and Peyton handed her a glass of water that she had ordered.

Haley smiled graciously. "Thanks, Peyt. I'm sorry guys, I shouldn't have run out like that."

"God, don't apologize, Hales." Nathan said, feeling as though if anyone should be handing out apologies, it was definitely him.

Haley brought her eyes to his and couldn't help but feel that with the way he was looking back at her, he was looking right into her soul. Nathan always had such an uncanny way of doing that, ever since she had met him. She couldn't help but smile, knowing that he really truly did know her better than all of them.

Lucas spoke, breaking the momentary silence that had encased them all. "Hey, I have a great idea. Nathan and I are staying in this hotel and I really only came here to see you guys, so who's up for heading to our room and catching up? I feel as though it will be a lot more fun than this suck fest."

They all laughed, glad that Lucas had finally voiced the opinion they had all been thinking. Jake patted him on the back. "I like the way you think, man. I knew I missed you for some reason."

"Well, I always thought you just missed my good looks. I'm hurt, Jake, I really am." Lucas joked back.

They were just about to head upstairs when a voice from the stage caught their attention.

"Good evening Tree Hill High class of '06. As most of you know, I'm Coach Whitey Durham and I'm here to start off this evening festivities. Now many of you will remember that silly thing you all had a part in called 'Senior Superlatives'. We thought it would be a great way to start off this shindig by seeing where all of your picks are now. So we're going to go through all the categories and bring those certain people on stage. Let the show begin."

Whitey stepped off stage and two other female teachers took over for him. The six of them watched as the categories were listed off: best eyes, most artistic, most likely to end up in jail. They hollered as Peyton and Jake graciously accepted the mock award for cutest couple.

A few more awards were passed out before Whitey returned to the microphone. "Now this last award is pretty meaningful considering these two have really done so much with their lives and I can't help but feel, well at least in his case, that I had something to do with it. It's my pleasure to hand the 'Most Likely to Succeed' awards to Nathan Scott and Haley James."

Haley couldn't believe her ears. She had completely forgotten about Senior Superlatives, especially considering she hadn't actually been attending school when the final list came out. The look on Nathan's face told her that he had forgotten also and all he could do was smile. She laughed at the surprised look on his face and walked with him towards the stage. He motioned for her to climb the few stairs first, gently placing his hand on the small of her back as she did so. Haley could swear that she felt her skin melting to his touch.

Haley laughed as Whitey pulled her into a bear hug. "You look pretty good, little lady," Whitey said, touching her chin in a fatherly way. "And you," he said, turning towards Nathan, "look like crap."

Nathan laughed as Whitey pulled him into a hug as well. "You don't look too good yourself, old man."

Whitey handed each of them little plastic trophy's and laughed. "Maybe you guys can get them covered in gold, that way they'll be a little more your style." He turned to the microphone. "I think we all know what these two are up to these days. I don't want them to bore you more than we already have, so I'm not letting them talk."

Haley smiled amiably at Whitey considering the last thing she wanted to do right now was talk in front of her former classmates. She followed Nathan and Whitey offstage and Whitey pulled her in for another hug. "It's so good to see you two," he said genuinely. "Are you guys going to be sticking around?"

"Actually Coach, we were going to head up to our hotel room." Nathan said. "By all means, you're welcome to come up if you want."

"Wait, your hotel room?" Whitey asked, pointing at each of them individually.

Nathan shook his head and Haley blushed awkwardly. "No, no, Coach. I'm staying here with Lucas," Nathan corrected him.

"Well that makes a hell of a lot more sense. And thanks for the invite, but you don't need an old man bringing your night down. How long are you in town for?"

"Lucas and I are heading out tomorrow, but our flight's not until late afternoon. We could stop by and see you in the morning, if you're not too busy." Nathan wanted to talk to Whitey, he really had missed his companionship throughout the years.

"I would love that. And how about you, young lady?" Whitey asked, turning his attention to Haley.

"Well, you will be seeing me around, because I'm taking a break from the tour and staying in Tree Hill for awhile." Haley couldn't help but saying it with a smile. It felt good to be staying home considering she hadn't truly had a home the past 11 years of her life.

Whitey mirrored her smile with his own. "That is very good news and you better come visit me."

Haley laughed. "I definitely will."

"Well, I don't want to keep you kids waiting. Go have your fun and I will see you both later."

Haley pulled Whitey into one last hug, so glad to finally be back to the familiar. It felt so good to see everyone from her past, so good that she almost wondered why she had been so scared in the first place. There was something about Tree Hill that was so comforting and even though she had given Peyton a hard time about coming back here to take some time off, she was actually very happy to be doing so.

Nathan and Haley walked back to the group in a comfortable silence, each contemplating exactly how they wanted the rest of the night to go.

"All set?" Lucas asked.

They both nodded and followed everyone to the lobby where they caught an elevator. Nathan couldn't help but stare at Haley on the ride up to their floor. His mind was still replaying the moment that she had run from his arms and he couldn't help but try to decipher what it had all meant. There was something different about her, something that he couldn't quite place his finger on. She seemed so overly emotional tonight- when they first made contact at the beginning of the night, when she had left him on the dance floor, and just now when she had seen Whitey. Was it just being back in Tree Hill that was bringing it out of her, or was there something else? Something much, much deeper perhaps?

Haley brought her eyes to his, obviously conscious to the fact that he was staring, and he immediately stopped. He focused on the numbers above the elevator doors as they climbed higher and higher past numerous floors.

Everything was so different when he only talked to her on the phone every once and awhile. She had never seemed completely herself over the phone, but he figured it was just her way of making everything easier. But now that she was standing in front of him, he could tell that it wasn't just that. It was bugging him and he couldn't help but wonder what the truth really was.

The question was, though, would Haley actually admit to that truth? And would he be able to find out before he left tomorrow, when he would quite possibly be out of her life all over again?

* * *

**Thanks for reading guys and for all of the feedbacks so far! I know I left you with a bit of a cliffhanger last time and some people were upset, but all I have to say is think back to the first chapter. And there are some other little hints in Haley's dialogue and inner thoughts ;)**

**Kylie**


	7. Though Their Pain Was Apparent

**Author's note - Wow, so I know that I am a horrible updater, but I spent such a long time perfecting this chapter. Just wanted to thank **4everdreaming **who sent me an email yesterday and it kind of just nudged me even more to have this posted by tonight. I have a month off of school so I'm hoping to have this updated a little more regularly along with** "Honestly".** Thanks to everyone who send feedback last time - it really means so much to me that you have enjoyed what I've written so far! I really like this chapter, it is quite possibly my favorite of anything that I've written to this point. I hope you all feel the same!**

**Warning - This chapter sort of pushes an R rating so just beware of that before you start reading.**

**Chapter Seven – Though Their Pain Was Apparent**

_**Flashback**_

_It took Haley several minutes to finally find Nathan, but it didn't surprise her much to see him nursing a beer in the corner of the bar on the third floor of the club. There was an empty seat next to him and from the corner of her eye; Haley could see a tall brunette nodding to her friends in Nathan's direction._

"_Nice try, beanstalk," she muttered to herself as she cut the brunette off, settling comfortably in the chair next to him._

_He didn't look up when she sat down, he didn't need to. He'd know those legs anywhere, the subtle smell of her perfume, the faint smell of that pear shampoo she liked so much._

"_So, were you just planning on ignoring me all night?" she asked, trying to keep a sarcastic joking manner._

"_Hmm, kind of like how you've been ignoring me this past year? Forget how to use a phone, Hales?" He still didn't bring his eyes up to look at her, afraid to see the look he had probably just caused to appear on her face._

_Most of the time Haley loved it when he called her by her nickname. It was something that only he and Lucas ever called her, and it always reminded her of the better times. It didn't at this moment though; it almost stung the way he said it. "So, it's going to be that kind of night, I guess?" She sighed, constantly reminding herself that he had been drinking and didn't truly mean what he was saying._

"_Yeah, it is." He took a long sip out of the bottle in front of him, finally turning towards her. "You know, I really don't think I can do this tonight, Haley."_

_She was silent as the words hit her, but her mind quickly bounced back. "Do what? Talk to me?" The hurt was obvious in her voice and she waited for him to say something, anything. "Fine," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. "It was really nice to see you, too," she moved to get out of the seat, but stopped as she felt his hand connect with hers, pulling her back down into the chair. Her skin burning where it was touching his, missing his simple touches after all these years apart._

"_I'm sorry, Haley," he apologized as he pulled his hand back from hers, suddenly unbalanced from her touch. "I didn't mean that."_

"_No, I really think you did," she replied, the hurt still evident in her voice._

"_I'm drunk, you can't take me seriously right now."_

"_Nathan, that is a little hard considering." She raised her hand to the bartender, signaling that she would like another drink. He nodded, showing that he had seen her, but held up a finger to let her know it would be a minute. She turned back to him. "You played a really great game tonight, the other team didn't stand a chance."_

"_You actually watched?" he asked skeptically. _

"_Yeah, I caught the end and the highlights after my set. Why, are you surprised?"_

"_I don't know, I guess." He took a deep breath. "How did your show go tonight?"_

"_It went alright. I still have one more tomorrow night because tonight's show sold out so fast." She looked up to acknowledge the bartender and ordered a sparkling water. _

"_Wow, Haley, that's great for you." He told her genuinely. He never had a doubt that she wouldn't do well with her music. He knew she had what it took from the moment she played for him in Karen's Café so long ago. If only he had known then how their lives would be now, how much everything had changed. But would he have acted differently if he would have seen the future? Even though he loved to tell himself that he would have, he knew that he would do anything to relive the time he had spent with Haley. Just to even feel that sort of happiness again, even if it was short lived._

_He glanced at her figure sitting ever so poised next to him. She seemed somewhat different, almost hardened by everything life had dealt them, but at the same time so similar. And of course she was still drop dead gorgeous. He would often think back on how his eyes and hands used to roam over her naked body, remembering every twist and turn to it. Every little last detail. He almost wished he hadn't because it only made him compare every woman he met within the past five years to her. And none of them stood a chance against Haley, no one ever had._

_She turned to look at him and he peeled his eyes away from her before she caught him blatantly staring. "You look really nice tonight," he told her, honestly sharing his thoughts with her. She was wearing a pair of perfectly fitted dark jeans with a sea green tube top, accessorized flawlessly with a necklace made of wooden beads. The whole ensemble worked well with the dirty blond hair she was sporting at this time in her life. He sometimes found it impossibly hard to remember what color her hair was at certain times due to the fact that she changed it so often. There wasn't a color that didn't look stunning on her._

_Nathan couldn't help but feel proud over the small smile that crept over her delicate features. "Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself," she replied. Haley couldn't help but appreciate the gray dress slacks he was wearing with the black button up shirt. He always looked nice when he dressed up and she couldn't help but blush at the fact that it had always been a turn on to her. There was something about a well kept man that always got to her. Well not any man, but Nathan._

"_Don't lie, Hales, I look like shit." _

_There it was, she thought. When he called her Hales that time, he meant it, the endearing tone in his voice wasn't just a pleasantry. It almost hurt her more than when he had just used it in spite of her. She shook her head. "You don't look like shit, Nathan. Just a little tired, that's all. I really like the hair." Haley reached out her hand, running it lightly over his freshly shaven head. She knew that it was just something the whole team had done; she had seen it earlier that night as she watched their game and again when she had talked to Lucas. But it looked good on him. It made him look tougher, more masculine, and definitely sexier. Not that he had ever had a problem in that department. Haley didn't know how he would react to her touch, but she took it as a good sign that he didn't immediately pull away. _

_It was amazing how much the mood changed through that simplest of gestures. Haley's breath caught in her throat as Nathan reached up to take her hand from the top of his head and to hold it within his own. "You've never been a very good liar, Hales," he said, his signature smirk slowly spreading across his face._

_There were a million ways she could take that simple statement, but from the look on his face it meant only one thing to her. His tone had been flirty and she knew that he was only goading her, but it was working. How had he gone from being angry with her to suddenly making her feel like he wanted to have his way with her right then and there on the bar?_

_He didn't know either, the only thing evident in his mind right now was his overwhelming need to kiss her. To feel her soft, hot lips against his own. He knew it wouldn't be fair, to either one of them, but the simple fact was that he had missed her. He had missed her touch, her caresses, the feel of her body against his own. And it was easy to see from the look in her eyes that she felt the same way. Then again, they had never been lacking in the passion department. Even when they were fighting, it was so full of raw passion. It always led to the most explosive make-up sex, he thought with a laugh._

"_What?" she asked as the smile on his face spread to the corners of his mouth. There was no doubt about it, he had the most adorable smile. It didn't surprise her when her own mouth mirrored his smile. It was downright infectious. It reminded her of all the silly fights they had as newlyweds. She would yell at him for lackadaisically spending money or leaving his shoes in the middle of the hallway so that she would trip on them and no matter how intent she was at staying mad at him, she broke down as soon as he smiled at her. Perhaps it had been a good thing, to be able to get over the stupid fights so quickly. Nevertheless, look where it got them._

"_Nothing, just thinking about things." His free hand moved to rest just above her knee and for a brief second she had to remind herself how to breathe. _

_In._

_Out._

_Repeat._

"_What kind of things?" she asked innocently. She knew that she was taking her turn goading him, but she didn't care. Two could play his game. _

"_Oh, just things," he replied, inching his hand a little higher up her thigh. He leaned forward slightly and Haley couldn't help but drink in the smell of him. The smell of his cologne had always driven her wild, and Nathan knew it._

_Why was he doing this? Haley couldn't stop herself from asking the effortless question. On the phone he always sounded so aloof and now sitting beside her, he seemed so sure of what he wanted. But was it just a trap? She knew that he was still hurt by her actions, yet suddenly it seemed as if their painful past had never even happened. "Nathan…" was all she could get out, her voice barely more audible than a whisper._

"_Hales," he returned in that sexy tone of his. Had he moved closer towards her? When did that happen and how had she missed it?_

_Before Haley knew it she was being pulled in the opposite direction of the bar, doing her best to keep up with Nathan as he moved swiftly through the sea of people. He had her backed into the corner of a narrow, much quieter, hallway before she could even offer up one word of objection. But that would also require her to form a thought, and she didn't think that was really a possibility right now._

_Haley suddenly became very conscious of Nathan, his solid body completely surrounding hers and delving into her personal bubble. It wasn't that it made her uncomfortable, oh no, it made her anything but. It ignited a fire within her that had all but seemingly burned out over the past few years. She quelled the voice in her head that was telling her it was wrong, because honestly nothing had ever felt so right. _

_Nathan moved one hand to rest on the wall right next to Haley's head, the other reaching out for her hip. His thumb caught underneath the fabric of her tube top and gently rubbed light circles over the surface of her bare skin. Haley caught the skin of her bottom lip between her teeth, an involuntary action that always seemed to come around whenever Nathan was near. He shook his head ever so slightly and removed his hand from the wall, lightly running his thumb over her lips to calm them before she bit down too hard._

_She couldn't help but smile and reach both arms around him, bringing him closer and at the same time reaching one hand underneath his shirt to connect with the soft skin of his lower back. It felt so amazing to be like this with him again, almost surreal. But it wasn't, he was right in front of her, sharing every dose of passion that she felt within herself. _

_Nathan took a step forward, one of his legs coming to rest in between hers, and for a moment she thought he was about to take her lips in his own. Instead he used his free hand to take her chin and to tilt her head slightly, hovering dangerously close to her neck. He paused briefly, building up the momentum, before placing an ever so soft kiss right at her pulse point. Haley felt her knees about to buckle, but he placed his strong arm around her back and pulled her closer, as if he had been able to tell. The movement had lifted her a little and his lips connected with her neck again, this time lingering just a little bit longer. He pulled back and blew on the wet spot he had created, causing chills to run throughout her entire body. Leaning back in towards her neck, he kissed it slowly again, this time moving his mouth all the way to the bottom of her ear. Pulling the lobe between his lips, he gently nipped at the skin causing a moan to escape from Haley's mouth without her even noticing._

_Nathan pulled back slightly, still keeping his face so close to hers but yet giving him enough room to glance down at her lips and back up to her eyes again. Haley knew exactly what he wanted an invitation for and she slipped one of her legs around his own, causing him to come even closer towards her and giving him just that. _

"_Hales," he whispered seductively, his lips lingering in front of her own. She smiled, mirroring his seduction exactly and threw her head back slightly with a sexy giggle. That was enough for him and he brought his hands to her cheeks, pulling her lips the final distance and pushing them onto his own. It didn't take Haley a second thought to bring her hands around his neck, one hand playing with the soft hair at the nape of his neck while the other dug into his skull, pulling his lips as close as possible. She followed his lead, but opened her mouth slightly hoping that he would comply. He did not a moment later, his tongue running over her bottom lip before entering her mouth and searching for hers in return. Haley gave it to him, their tongues yearning to touch after so many years away from each other. They slid smoothly against each other, their lips fitting perfectly together as they had so long ago._

_When air became an issue they allowed only their lips to separate, but Nathan still had the need to taste her. He let his lips wander to her neck again, kissing her exactly how he remembered her liking it. As her hands kept his lips attached to her neck he let his roam down her arm, lightly sweeping over her breasts as he made his way to her butt, cupping it and bringing the lower parts of their bodies as close together as possible. Haley cried out at the feel of him hard between her legs and he quickly covered her mouth in his to quiet her. _

_Their passion was raw and intense as they licked and nipped at each other's lips, not separating for more than a breath of air. Neither of them cared that they were in public, the darkness of the hallway was their only shield. There was so much pent up aggression inside and they were doing their best to release it without hurting each other. Their kisses were so much more extreme than ever before, making up for lost time._

_Nathan groaned into Haley's mouth as her fingernails raked against his skull, causing chills to run down his spine. He didn't know how much longer he could take it. He knew Haley was about to hit her breaking point the way she was whimpering sexily into his mouth and he was hit with the overwhelming need to bury himself deep inside of her. Their clothes were becoming a distraction and all he wanted was to feel her skin against his own. His hands wandered to the hem of her shirt, his fingers reaching underneath and kneading the skin of her stomach. He was so close to pulling it over her head when he remembered where they were. There was no way he was going to expose Haley in a hallway where anyone could interrupt. He didn't want anyone else seeing her, but him. He never had. Nathan reached for one of Haley's hands, lacing their fingers together. He gently broke his lips away from hers, kissing her softly on the cheek. The need to take her back to his hotel was so overwhelming and he looked to her eyes for confirmation. _

_It was then that he heard something which changed his mind completely and caused him to remember why he had been so angry with her for the past few years. He pushed away from the wall and shook his head. "I can't believe this," was the only thought his mind could form._

_Haley's mind was still reeling and she obviously wasn't paying as much attention to their surroundings as he was. Then again she had never been one for the details, only wanted to give her full attention to him. It used to be such a turn on that she gave him her undivided attention, but right now it just made him sick to his stomach. "Nathan," she spoke quietly, her breath still not able to return to normal. "What's wrong?"_

_It was such a simple question, but there wasn't just one answer for him. Everything was wrong; his life, their life, this predicament they were currently in at the moment, and the thoughts swirling around in his head. He pushed them all away and allowed a more important voice to break through, the one telling him that all he needed was another drink. "I can't do this," was his only response as he turned away from her and began to walk towards the bar._

_Her hand connected with his wrist, pulling him back momentarily. "Nathan," she pleaded, "talk to me. Please." _

"_You just don't get it." He shook his head._

"_Get what, Nathan?" Her mind couldn't comprehend what he was trying to make her understand at the moment. All she could think about was the feel of his lips against hers and the fact that he was trying to run away from them again._

"_Just stay away from me."_

_Just like that he was gone, leaving the coldness of his words to wash over her. Her mind was spinning and she brought her hands to the sides of her face, gently rubbing her temples to bring some sense of normalcy. It didn't come and she felt herself wanting to run after him, but somehow couldn't bring her feet to reciprocate._

_It was then that she heard it and everything became clear. Her song was streaming from the speakers. But it wasn't just her song, it was her duet with Chris. She hadn't heard the song in years, hadn't even seen Chris in over a year, but she suddenly understood why Nathan had run. She forced herself to lean against the wall, her legs suddenly not feelings so strong. _

_Why couldn't Nathan just forgive her for something that had happened so long ago, when she had been foolish and immature? She let her body slide to the floor as she absentmindedly wiped at her tears with the back of her hand. Her life wasn't supposed to be like this. She was supposed to be happy and to feel loved. Instead she felt depressed and alone, only finding happiness every so often. Tonight she felt the happiness again that she had yearned for the past five years. It was supreme happiness, quite possibly a kind of happiness that not many people found._

_She had only found it in Nathan's arms._

_Haley forced herself to stand up, willing herself to be strong and keep it together until she got back to her hotel. Brushing away the last of the tears, she straightened her clothing and forced her feet to move so that she could find Brooke. She couldn't stand to stay here anymore and she didn't care if Brooke didn't want to leave, she would make it back on her own. All she wanted to do was throw herself into her hotel bed and cry herself to sleep in yet another unfamiliar surrounding. _

_It was the life she led and she forced herself to remember that it was the life that she had chosen._

_**End Flashback**_

Haley walked around Nathan and Lucas' hotel room, taking in the expensive furnishings. It was the one thing she loved about moving from hotel room to hotel room, admiring the décor and the fancy decorating styles. She knew that if she had chosen not to go on tour, she would have gone to school and majored in interior design. Everyone always pegged her for a teacher, but her secret was that she couldn't imagine teaching for the rest of her life. It would be too monotonous, she needed change and color. So secretly she had dreamed of designing restaurants and hotels, keeping travelers comfortable as they wandered far from their homes. Maybe someday she would be able to… She stopped herself from finishing the thought, because honestly who did she think she was kidding. That wasn't a possibility anymore.

She walked out onto the balcony, admiring the look of Tree Hill from this height. It looked so serene, so calm and comfortable. She had always felt safe here and couldn't be happier to be back. If only her parents could come home and stay for awhile. She knew that they were trying, but she hadn't wanted to make them cancel the month long cruise they had booked. They had promised they would be there when it was over and she couldn't wait.

"Hey," she heard a voice from behind her and turned to see Peyton joining her outside. "What's up in the head of yours?"

Haley laughed. Peyton always joked that she was such a thinker, drifting for hours on just the thoughts rolling around inside of her head. "I was just thinking about things, memories."

Peyton nodded. She didn't have to ask what Haley was thinking about. She knew that seeing Nathan again had sparked the good memories, along with the bad. "He looks different, huh? Almost more mature?"

Haley smiled. "Peyt, you would hope that at 28 he has finally matured."

"Yeah, I really do. That's why I think that you should…"

Haley cut her off, not wanting to hear it again. "Peyton, just leave it alone." She sighed and turned back towards the town. "It looks so different, yet it still holds all the same feelings."

"I know what you mean. Do you want me to get you something to drink?" Peyton asked, noticing she was still empty handed.

"Yeah that would be great." She watched as Peyton walked back into the building, before turning back.

She heard footsteps minutes later and turned expecting to see Peyton, but inwardly smiled at the sight of Nathan instead. He held out a mug with what she could only guess was tea and handed it to her. "Peyton said you would like this."

Haley nodded and smiled as she took it from his hands, her fingers gently brushing against his. "She knows me so well. I just wanted some fresh air, it's so beautiful out here."

"Yeah, it is," he replied, never taking his eyes off of her. He turned towards the balcony railing and leaned against it. "So I have a question for you."

"Shoot," she said as she joined him against the railing.

"I was wondering if you would want to meet me for breakfast tomorrow, before my plane leaves. It's just right now Brooke is trying to round everyone up for a rousing game of Catch Phrase and I feel like we didn't really get to talk at all tonight. I just figured it would be nice to sit down for awhile and catch up."

Haley couldn't help the smile that came. "I would love that."

"Really?" he asked, his smile mirroring her own.

"Yeah, that would be really nice. We could meet tomorrow at Karen's, I haven't had the chance to stop in and see her yet. And I'm sure that she would love to see you as well."

"That sounds perfect. Is 10:00 okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah that would be great."

He couldn't help but smile again and he was about to say something else, but was interrupted by Brooke. "Let's go kiddies! We're playing guys against girls and Lucas just found Mouth and Tim in the lobby! We're having our own little reunion and you two better get in here!"

Haley laughed. "We should probably get in there before she comes out ready to drag us in herself. Trust me, it wouldn't be pretty."

"Oh, I trust you." He paused before continuing. "After you," he said, motioning his hand towards the door.

Haley didn't know what it was, but something in the tone of his voice left her feeling a little unsettled. Trust had always been an issue of theirs, something they had struggled with throughout the years, and to hear him say that he trusted her with such little effort really affected her. It made her that much more excited to have breakfast with him in the morning, to maybe get inside of that head of his a little more. She could tell that he had changed since New York and she wanted to know what had caused it. He wasn't biting off bitter remark after remark towards her, he was being kind and gentle and like the Nathan she used to know. Maybe Peyton was right, maybe he could handle the truth.

Haley pushed the thought out of her head as she walked back into the hotel room, Nathan just a few steps behind her.

It was possible that he could handle the truth, but that would mean she would have to learn to handle it as well.

* * *

**That's all for now folks! Let me know what you thought!**

**Kylie**


End file.
